MR. GIBSON AT ASHTON.
Mr. Milner Gibson attended a public meeting at Ashton-under-Lyne on Tuesday, the Mayor in the chair, for the purpose of setting forth his views. Much of his speech is taken up with the past. He justified his amendment on the Conspiracy Bill on the 'ground that the Palmerston Government was about to alter the criminal law in a precipitate mariner, and touch the delicate subject of conspiracy without deliberation. He was glad the Government were turned out, and could not see what harm has happened from the advent of Lord Derby to power. Lord Derby has done some good things and spoken important truths which we have not been in the habit of hearing from our Whig leaders. He greatly commended Lord Derby's speech at the Mansionhonse, especially in all that related to our foreign relations. In favour of the freedom of the press Mr. Gibson wishes that the newspapers would not favour us with such repeated dissertations on the institutions of France, but would in- stead deal with the abuses of England—expose corruption in high places, the extravagance of the executive, the exclusion of working men from political rights." Ile approved of the Ellenborough despatch on on Oude and of its publication—he will never quarrel with a Minister for giving to Parliament information on public affairs. Lord Palmerston and other old leaders, he recommended to retire from public affairs, and not trouble us by aspiring to lead the Liberal party. After describing his exertions to repeal the paper duty he came to the question of reform.
There le a question now occupying public attention upon which he sup- posed it was becoming of him to say something-, though he did not know much, because he had not seen any of the plans likely to be proposed to Par- liament in reference to reforming the representation. He saw that a gentle- man was charged with having stolen a public despatch; and he wished that the document stolen had been the new Reform Bill. (Laughter.) He should like to have seen what it was Lord Derby was going to propose. It was reported in London that Lord Derby, who was rather a sporting cha- racter, was going to astonish the old Whigs; that he was going further than they, perhapr, would like to follow. Then there was dlr. Gibson's esteemed and excellent friend Mr. Bright ; but he had not seen Mr. Bright's Reform Bill. Although it might not go to an extent that would meet all the wishes of Reformers, he had no doubt it would be a real and solid improvement in the representative system. There were three questions we had to ask our- selves—Was reform wanted ? What sort of reform would we have ? How are we to carry any Reform Bill ? Taking the last first, it was clear that to carry a real measure we must be content to sacrifice minor differences. Those who wish to go a little way must be content to go a little further ; those who were pre_pared to go a great way must be satisfied with stopping somewhat short. By that union of forces, we might be able to carry a good and valu- able measure improving the representation and giving the people a more effectual control over the Government. The 'Bill of 1832 was earned in that way. That measure was disparaged now ; but it was a large one as com- pared with the then existing state of things. Earl Grey said a few years previously that he could prove that 145 individuals, peers and great com- moners, returned a majority of the House of Commons. It must be ad- mitted that the Bill of 1832 was a greater advance, comparatively, than any well considered measure we could now expect would be. People were not now so alarmed as they used to be at the idea of reform. Sir R. Inglis pre- dicted that if the Bill of 1832 passed, in ten years there would be no Sing iiig441 ofil4 tri '6" eiliflitife Aoki .1._' /hit 11,4101,10,132 :IPPKW iWcil and 319YOY% mall .e., . ,p.
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bf ficalietiattrific.t.toaepptehritsasinorintg, tHo teliseromuland —abiailed-nothitig in the -t supped that eatansion cf. tbe4aftrage wliiehrappearedi to nieet the appfoval of the greatest body of sincere 1teformers-11;appeatied the most likely to be -carried, !and•■„tal:cuAfeir. agreal advantage-1wpm the country. .■Me would not be clot melt font , etiligerlinAtenlasJedertite:intselatte:oibeefiuse it iinttigthhtnAtrolotcgoinmeiAtup to those abstract theories of the right of the suffrage being times, we a 44Yitch# vf*fti3e ,Y.-,Fooffloikat ral, ;1st
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Prri.et.1,-,„ S tal WAL Nev,1414.r/t4e.ei,.0Re crp,98tOgs Aare A.4 large town_ ,s jiiiniki,01..cueulated and then let the e nig PIPIF9 orrn par y u 4f-carry it through the Legislature.- Fe d to the voffi y thought by manyto be AR unittipoqant lit _ ligal'iltillelint iii ' e reedoui of elec- ton in a country like-this- ..1 DalilEittibi'ii th ,tuffrag,e a man could not exercise.' it ffreelf ifAhre-Wint °Miele& ith-tlie right of voting the condition that he was to ginblieh hits!Wte tbiallarianihaa.i. do weeuntry like thklti .11014k 48111»giitiii697ffi#10-1S8041*1131411.0ee, OP .mailyioapoxere ir se,rAsee, ey,se. , gr, prow tqtjq labeur. - qf the country,..bylandlords over-tenmats,„an, Xfoltsflperlioyerf ,. MAI9 dealt in articles of niqechan- disc, We—had a case ffir tie hallot pri ho%oing to Australia or any other ediirifty:,',It ri,biihr 44tel.40b bflkiiiteileilt 'that, when. the'Reform Bill of 18* was'tilideYli5baltitlkilafireliffit kotala dibti lravOwedbftheliinisters of thiiie days• that I thy/ ballot i was', I: inbjeet ffilfiditturce:iconaidtrratilin ; It was well known that the,Cabinetiot Lord Grey had:resolved at tinit time to give the ballot with a 20/: franchise; and that Alley:teak away theballatavhen they extended the franeNise.„to.10/.., although,when the franolaiee was ex- tended he considered LhereFss the greateRneee,ssity for the ballot. They might depend upon it there Was no real gsound for opposing the vote by ballot but ci fear of the existing eenstitueney.,of the country.
Mr. Gibson condemned our extravagant expenditure on the Army and Navy, which he inipnted to the preseece in the HOW of , Cm:ea:Lone of too. many niembere. interested in keeping it up. -.Ile denounced the systeni of patronage ; advocated competitive examination as the remedy ; held that every Englishman has .a real and positive right to enter the public offices ; - and Abet the aristocracy, to whom he imputed the dis- asters of the Crimean war, have too much of the patronage and emolu- ments of office. '
The meeting voted full confidence in Mr. Gibson.
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